Garment-supporting appliance.



Patented Apr. l5, I902.

J. P. CONWAY.

GARMENT SUPPORTING APPLIANCE.

Application filed Sept. 3, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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Unwrap STATES ATFNT QFFICEQ JOHN P. GONVVAY, OF NEW'YORK, N. Y.

GARIVI ENT-SU PPORTING APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 697,8] 1, dated April 15, 1902. Application filed September 3, 1901. Serial No. 74,186- (No model- T aZZ whmrt it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN P. CONWAY, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Garment-Supporting Appliance, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is in the nature of an improved appliance or means for holding down a ladys waist and at the same time support ing the skirt, the same being especially constructed so that the weight of the skirt will serve to pull down the waist and hold the same in a proper position on the body of the wearer.

My-invention comprehends in its generic nature a plate slidably held on a waistband or belt having means for hooking into a buttonhole in the waist and suitably-arranged means having clasp members projected externally of the belt for engaging the skirt, the two parts being cooperatively arranged, whereby a strain on the clasp by reason of the weight of the skirt will tend to draw the waist-engaging member and the belt down into a tight and secure position.

In its more subordinate features myinvention consists in certain details of construction and peculiar combination of parts, all of which will hereinafter be fully explained, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a View illustrating my invention as in use. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of a belt, a pair of waist and skirt holders, and illustrating the two parts, the waist and skirt holders, as separated members. Fig. 8 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a similar view on the line 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the shirt-waist holder and skirtsupporting parts formed as a single member. Fig. 6 is a transverse section thereof.

Myinvention in its complete make-up comprises in its preferred form three distinct membersa belt or band, a plate slidably mounted on the band and having a hook on its rear face to engage a hole in the lower part of the shirt-waist and pendently supported therefrom to hold the belt in a proper position, and a second metal plate slidably mounted upon the belt and having a clasp or grip on its outer surface to engage the upper end of the skirt and support it from the belt, the said two plates and the belt being, however, correlatively so arranged that when the skirt is secured or clasped to hang from the belt the belt-holding plate will, together with the belt, be covered by the skirt and nothing but the clasp end of the skirt-holding plate appear in sight.

In the preferred construction the shirtwaist-holdingmemberconsistsofametal plate A, struck up with central and end members a a a to form slots or ways for the passage of the belt B, adapted to engage the plate A. so the same will have slide movement therein, the same as ordinary slide buckles or clasps have. The member a has a rearwardly and downwardly projecting hook a wherebyit can be readily slipped into engagement with the buttonhole Z), provided in the lower end of the waist XV therefor. The plate A is, however, of such height as to just bring the inner edges of its upper and lower cross members flush wit-h the upper and lower edges of the belt B, the reason for which will presently appear.

The skirt-holder may be in the nature of an independent member, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, or it may be as an integral part of the member A. When a separate member, it consists of a plate 0, also slotted at its opposite edges, as at c c, to engage with and slide upon the belt B, its upper end being projected some distance above the upper edge of the belt, as at e and bent over and outward into a nshaped guard member 0 which member, as will be clearly seen by reference to Figs. 2 and 3, is in a plane above the upper end of the shirt-waist holder A, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained.

Within the lower or free end of the member 0 is fulcrumed a clasp or gri p-piece D, having a cam-like edge d, and said edge is preferably pronged, as at cl d, to push into the slots or spaces 0 c, and thereby provide for a firm grip on the skirt goods when the clasp is adjusted to its clamping position, it being understood that the cam or eccentric action of the clasp, aided by the spring of the end 0 of member O,will serve to securely hold the clasp to its adjusted positions.

So far as described it will be readily apparent that the weight of the skirt will be on the plate C and transmitted to belt B, and b reason thereof the pull strain on member A will cause same to maintain a firm and uniform hold on the shirt-waist and draw it down into a proper and neat joining with the upper edge of the skirt, and by reason of the clasp end of the plate 0 being in a plane above the member A it follows that the upper edge of the skirt will lie in a plane above the plate or plates A and the belt, and in consequence make a neat finish and remove from sight anything in the way of a supporting means, except the clasp ends of the member 0.

By reason of the simple construction of the several parts the same can be readily fitted in place and the user can with but very little elfort quickly adjust the waist and afterward without danger of loosening'or disarranging the waist adjustment can almost instantly adjust the means for supporting the skirt.

While I prefer to make the waist-holder and the skirt-su p porter of I W0 parts independently movable on the belt, I do not wish to confine myself to this arrangement of my invention, as the skirt-holder and the shirt-waist en gaging member may be in the nature of a single device combined, as shown in Fig. 5, by reference to which it will be noticed the center bar 0 of plate 0 has a turned-down hook'for engaging the buttonhole of the shirt-waist. I prefer to use the two parts as separate members, as they can be the more readily adjusted to hold down the shirt-waist at such points desired and to support the skirt on the belt at such points as may be most convenient to the wearer.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

As an improvement in garment-supporters, the combination with the band B, and means thereon for supporting it on the lower end of a waist; of the plate 0, having slots 0 c for the passage of the band, and a fl-shaped extension c at the upper end, and a cam-clasp pivotally hung on the free end of the extension 0 said clasp having its gripping edge provided with prongs adapted to oppose the slots 0 c, in the plate 0, for the purposes described.

JOHN P. CONWAY.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM WEST REVELL, JAMES HYATT DU 1301s. 

